Summary
In an era where the American Dream was often sold as a winning lottery ticket, Finnegan's Ball presents a cynical yet slapstick look at the Irish immigrant experience. The narrative follows the Finnegan clan as they trail the Flannigans from the old country to the United States, seeking a foothold in a new world. Domestic friction turns into a full-scale class war when Danny Finnegan, Sr. works for his rival, Patrick Flannigan, Sr., only for the power dynamic to flip overnight. A sudden, massive inheritance falls into the Finnegans' laps, prompting an immediate and ruthless snubbing of their former friends. However, the film hinges on a cruel twist of fate: the fortune is a clerical error. As the Finnegans are stripped of their finery and forced back into their modest reality, the story attempts to reconcile the two families through a strategic marriage between Molly Finnegan and the younger Flannigan. It is a tale of pride, the fragility of social standing, and the inevitable return to the status quo.
Synopsis
The Finnegans follow the Flannigans from Ireland to the U.S. Danny Finnegan, Sr., goes to work for Patrick Flannigan, Sr., while young lovers Molly Finnegan and Flannigan, Jr., are reunited. A feud erupts between the families when the Finnegans fall heir to a fortune and snub the Flannigans. The inheritance proves to be an error, and the Finnegans resume their modest way of life. All is forgiven, and amity between the families is assured by the marriage of Molly and Flannigan, Jr.
